The Sweating Begins

Eighteen people signed up for the gym this spring session, but way less than that showed up to train.  The weather was nice today, I so figured most would rather be outside instead of in a hot gym.  When Alan opened the door to the gym, everyone commented on how cool it felt inside.  But that didn't last long. After a couple of rounds of shadow boxing, I was sweating heavily.

Alan was lucky to have made it in to the gym.  The coach had taken a bad fall backwards down some stairs in his home.  An ambulance took him to the hospital where doctors checked him and praise God, found no major damage.  But Alan was bruised up a little and had a cut on his shoulder.  He didn't work out because he wanted to take it easy.

I didn't spar because my body felt a bit off.  Instead of just going ahead and sparring anyway, I decided to listen to my body.  I overheard Igor telling Alan he wanted to spar "next week".  "Igor, you're not going to spar next week," Alan told him.  If Igor had been serious for once about actually wanting to spar and had wanted to do it right then, I might have ignored my body and raised my hand to step in the ring with him.  Igor is all talk and no action most of the time.

Katie and Vachel sparred.  I believe they only did two rounds.  Vachel's punches were a little wild, and Katie wasn't always throwing her punches all the way out.  But they got a workout in because both were huffing and puffing afterwards.

Geniece didn't spar, but Alan held the punch shield for her.  She was pounding punches into the shield.  Alan told me, "She hits hard!"  "I know!  I've been on the end of those punches!" I told him.  I'll be glad when we get our hands on the Chicago Park District boxing show schedule for this year.  Geniece would do well in those bouts.

JJ, who used to train in the gym, is currently in New York City, where JJ will compete for the WBC International Title against Steve Bujaj this Thursday.  I wish him the best of luck, and I hope he wins.